Pictorial representations



Feb. 18, 1941. F. KRONER 2,232,033

. PICTORIAL REPRESENTATIONS 4 Filed June 16, 19258 Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES 2,232,033 PICTORIAL REPRESENTATIONS Friedrich Kroner, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany, assignor to Transart Aktiebolag, Goteborg, Sweden Application June16, 1938 Serial No. 214,005 In Germany June 18, 1937 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pictorial representations and to a process for producing such improved pictorial representations.

In my prior Patent No. 2,096,180 I have disclosed a novel kind of pictorial representation consisting of a thin sheet of transparent material, two coinciding images having the same contour applied to said sheet, and an opaque layer of like contour intermediate said images.

It is among the objects of this invention to render it possible to arrange pictorial representations consisting of a thin sheet of transparent material and an image applied to said sheet in such a manner that the said image becomes entirely or partly invisible from the bottom side of the carrier sheet.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing by way of example and diagrammatically some embodiments of the invention. of course, it will be understood that various modifications of these embodiments may be made according to the practical requirements, without a departure from the scope of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-section through one form of my novel combination which is produced by printing on both sides of the carrier sheet.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the article shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view same as Fig. 2, with the transparent sheet turned over.

Fig. 4 is a schematic cross section of a modification.

Fig. 5 is a. plan view of still another modification.

Fig. 6 is a plan view as Fig. 5, with the transparent sheet turned over. i

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, and first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that an image layer I is applied to the frontside of a transparent carrier sheet 2 while an opaque layer 3 is applied to the back or bottom side thereof, within the contours of the image layer. The sheet 2 is edge-connected to a cover or folder sheet t in the manner of a booklet.

In this instance, a pictorial representation showing an ink bottle is illustrated by the image layer I on the front side of the sheet 2, in any desired colour or colours, e. g. in green colour, as indicated by the respective hatching.

The inside of the folder 4 is made with any other colour or colours uniformly or with any desired pattern, e. g. with black colour, as indicated by the respective hatching and the same colour or pattern is used for the opaque layer 3. It follows that when turning over the sheet 2 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the back of the ink bottle representation will show the same colour as the *5 rest of the left hand area, i. e. the black colour of the folder which is visible through the portions of the transparent sheet 2 outside the image layer 1 or opaque layer 3 respectively, whereby the opaque image, in spite of the transparent 10 character of the carrier sheet 2, disappears entirely, even as to its contours. It is possible, by adequate printing or like process, to make the colours of the folder 4 and opaque layer 3 very exactly similar to each other, so that there will remain only a very fine and almost invisible distinction line between the two areas. The 0pti-cal effect can be still improved by applying a characteristic pattern for instance a chequered pattern on the background 4 and printing the opaque layer 3 to form the same pattern, whereby the contours of the image portion will perfectly disappear. Also the effect may be improved by applying the opaque layer 3 to the image side of sheet 2, underneath the image layer I, so that the transparent sheet 2 will cover .both areas 4 .and 3 in the position of sheet 2 according to Fig. 3 and thus produce the same typical lustre of Cellophane, or whatever type of transparent material may be used, on both colour areas, whereby the contours between the two areas will :be further wiped out and the desired optical efiect still better accomplished.

An embodiment of the latter type is shown in Fig. 4, showing on thefront side of the right hand sheet 2 an opaque layer 3 and an image layer I, superposed in this order.

My invention offers many interesting possibilities of creating novel pictorial effects for advertising, pedagogical and similar" purposes. Where it is intended to show a series of successive pictures, for example, on the front or right hand side of each sheet, it Would be detrimental to see on the backside of the sheet which has been turned over the picture which has just been looked at. Now, by my novel system, the backside appears to be entirely transparent, as the same background colour appears over the whole surface of the transparent sheet including the image portion thereof. Of course, the spectator will find out the actual-relation when examining the thing more carefully, but the surprising effect caused by the first optical impression will help to excite the interestof the spectator, even though he will find out the trick in the matter eventually.

Another surprising effect can be produced by applying the image to the carrier sheet in such a manner that it is visible from the bottom side while the neutral opaque layer is visible from the front side. The spectator in this case when opening the booklet, will not expect to find a pictorial representation on the back of the carrier sheet which apparently is transparent and blank throughout its surface. The left hand sheet in Fig. 4 has been arranged in this manner.

together from either side will show no image at all and thus cause the impression of blank sheets while very interesting images may appear when looking ateither of the two sheets 2 from the inside.

Further effects may be achieved by treating only a part of the back of the image area in accordance with the invention while the remainder .of this area is either left transparent so that the front side picture is visible from the bottom also, or provided with another pictorial representation. In the latter case, an opaque separating layer would have to be provided between the two images. An arrangement of this kind is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 where 4 is the background, 2 the carrier sheet, I the image layer on the front side, 3 the neutral opaque layer and 5 the image layer which is visible from the bottom side only. As will be seen from Fig. 5, there are some portions of, the image I, i. e. the cap of the bottle rendered invisible in the image I while additional portions i. e. the drops of ink appear which in turn are not visible in Fig. 6.

While it is the main object of my invention to render the image on a transparent sheet invisible from the backside, I may apply inscriptions on the neutral opaque area as indicated at 6 in Fig. 3.

According to a further feature of the invention I may make the covering power of the opaque layer so small that the image on the opposite side is still slightly visible, in a darker or brighter tone, over the whole of its area or over a part thereof, whereby further effects may be produced.

,Various materials which may be used as transparent carrier sheets and methods of applying image layers and opaque layers to such sheets have been fully discussed in my prior patent specification No. 2,096,180 so that it will not be necessary to describe these materials and methods in detail here and all features and steps described in said prior specification which are applicable to my novel improved combination may be used in this connection. I contemplate, moreover, within the purview of this invention, to produce the neutral blotting layer in the transparent carrier sheet proper, by treating the same in a suitable manner chemically and/or'physical- 1y.

According to a special feature of my invention, a transparent sheet material 2 may be used which while being transparent is toned throughout in any suitable colour or shading while an opaque layer 3 of absolutely black or white colour is applied or produced on said sheet 2 and on said background 4. Thus, strict accordance of the colours of the back of image I and of the remainder of the transparent sheet is ensured and any difliculties which might otherwise occur in order to avoid differences of the colours or tones Moreover the arrangement shown in this' figure when looking at the two-sheets Ztaken tral color, of a thin sheet of transparent material,

an opaque layer of said neutral color and an image on said sheet, said opaque layer and image comprising coincident portions and coincident contours, whereby the portion of said image which coincides with said opaque layer is rendered invisible when viewed from the opaque layer side against said background.

2. The combination with a background of neutral color, of a thin sheet of transparent material, said sheet comprising two images and an .opaque layer of neutral color rendering one image invisible from one side and the other image invisible from the other side of said transparent sheet when viewed against said background.

3. The combination with a background of neutral color, of a thin sheet of transparent material, an image applied to one side of said sheet and an opaque layer of said neutral color superposed on said image, said opaque layer and image comprising coincident portions and coincident contours, whereby the portion of said image which coincides with said opaque layer is rendered invisible when viewed from the opaque. layer side against said background.

4. The combination with a background of neutral color, of a thin sheet of transparent material, an image applied to one side of said sheet and an opaque layer of said neutral color applied to the other side of said sheet, said opaque layer and image comprising coincident portions and coincident contours, whereby the portion of said image which coincides with said opaque layer is rendered invisible when viewed from the opaque layer side against said background.

5. A book-like article comprising a front and back cover and a thin sheet of transparent material between said covers, said sheet being protided with an opaque layer comprising a portion having the same surface appearance as the inside of one of said covers, and an image intermediate said opaque layer and said similar cover, said opaque layer and image comprising coincident portions and coincident contours, whereby the portion of said image which coincides with said opaque layer is rendered invisible when viewed from the opaque layer side against said one of said covers.

6. A book-like article comprising a front and back cover and a thin sheet of transparent material between said covers, said sheet being provided with an opaque layer comprising a portion having the same surface appearance as the inside of said back cover, and an image intermediate said opaque layer and said back cover, said opaque layer and imagecomprising coincident portions and coincident contours, whereby the .portion of said image which coincides with said opaque layer is rendered invisible when viewed from the opaque layer side against said back cover.

7. A book-like article comprising front and :back covers, a plurality of sheets of transparent material between said covers, an opaque layer having the same surface appearance as said covers applied on each sheet, and an image on the abutting surfaces of each sheet, the opaque layer and image of each sheet comprising coincident portions and coincident contours.

8. A device of the character described, particularly adapted for use with a background of predetermined surface characteristics, comprising a thin sheet of transparent material, an opaque layer having said surface characteristics and an image on said sheet, said opaque layer and image comprising coincident portions and coincident contours, whereby the portion of said image which coincides with said opaque layer is rendered invisible when viewed from the opaque layer side against said background.

FRIEDRICH KRONER. 

